File-cabinet.



No. 765,928. PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

E. M. LUNDHOLM.

FILE CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented July 26, 1904.

PATENT QFFICE.

FILE-CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,928, dated July 26, 1904. Application filed May 11, 1903. Serial No- 156,6ll. (N inodel.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERIK M. LUNDHOLM, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in File-Cabinets; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to cabinets for documents and records; and the main object of the invention is to provide a cheap convenient means for filing documents, records, and accounts in an indexed and easily-accessible order. This and other objects I attain by the novel construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a row of my cabinets. Fig. 2 is a top view of one of the file-holding slides or frames. Fig. 3 is a front end view of Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is Fig. 3 with index tag or tags on the handle. Fig. 5 is another end view of Fig. 2 with the handle and tag-holder modified. Fig. 6 is an enlarged front view of the button-shaped handle in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a sectional view about as on the line a [6111 Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is an enlarged portion of Fig. 8 with index-leaves folded down. Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14., 15, 16, and 17 are perspective views of various modified forms of the leaves holding the records or documents filed.

Referring to the drawings by reference-numerals, 1 designates the boX or case of the cabinet. Of those cases there may be used any required number placed side by side, like 1 1 1", and on the top of each other, like 1 1 or 1 and 1. Each case or section consists of a suitable bottom 2 and top 3 and intermediate horizontal partitions or plates 4, between which are inserted the slides or drawers 5. One of said slides is shown in Figs. 2, 8, and 9 to consist of an oblong four-cornered wire frame 6, the ends of which are preferably inlaid and secured in a wooden strip 7 in such a manner that the strip forms the closingpiece to the opening through which the slide is inserted into the case, and the ends of the wire are formed one into a forwardly-projecting stem 8 and the other into a rearwardlyprojecting hook-arm 9. The slide is pulled and pushed by ahandle 10, which may be formed integral with the stem 8 by folding the wire over in the manner shown'in Figs. 2 and 3, or I may secure upon the stem 8 a button-shaped handle like 11 in Figs. 6 and 7.

When the handle is used, the slide is indexed by pushing tightly upon the handle a numbered or lettered tube 12, of paper or celluloid or any suitable material, or two tubes like 12 and 13 may be used. In using the modified handle 11 the letters are marked upon a stiff paper disk 14, which is forced into the cavity 15 of the button and may be removed for exchange by forcing it forward with a pin or wire inserted back of it through the notch 16 in Fig. 6 or the aperture 16 in Fig. '7.

Centrally through the slide or frame 5 extends a Hat metallic bar 17, havinga slightlypointed rear end provided with a hole 18, in which engages the rearwardly-curved hook or pin 19, secured in or to the rear bar of the Wire frame. In the front end of the bar 17 is a hole 20, engaging the forwardly-curved hook 21 of the hook-arm 9, and near said hole the bar is provided with side arms 22, serving as finger-holds in springing the front and rear bars of the frame slightly together when the front hook 21 is to engage the hole after the rear hook 19 has been engaged. This bar 17 is the main support for the record-carrying cards 23, all of which have an aperture 24:, through which the bar is passed, and below the aperture they have a hinged or jointed foot-piece 25 26, projecting, respectively, rearwardand forward of the card, so that when the rearward projections 25 are placed upon the forward projections 26 and the cards are moved together the rearward projection 25 stops against the front side of the lower edge of the card or leaf next in rear of it and holds the cards so far apart that when they are folded upon each other the upper edge of each card projects from under the card above it sufiiciently to furnish a margin upon which to write personal names, as in Fig. 2,

or other words, letters, or numbers serving as index to the contents recorded upon one or both sides of the leaf or filed in an envelop or similar receptacle secured to or formed upon or out of the sheet.

In some cases one persons account may cover several cards. N 0 cards need be inserted except such as are in use, and whenever it be desired to remove an account the card or cards belonging to the same may easily be removed after extracting the bar 17, or if new cards are to be added or any cards transferred all there is to do is to place the frame or slide upon a table, detach the front and rear ends of the bar, extract it the necessary distance while the changes are made in the cards, and then push the bar forward again and attach it to the hooks holding it.

In filing bills, cheeks, letters, or other papers these may be lodged in a receptacle like the envelop 27 in Fig. 16, secured to or formed upon the card 23, or like the open-ended flat tube 27 in Fig. 17.

In addition to the bar 17 I may also support and guide the cards by two thin strips 28, which are fixed with their ends to the front and rear bars of the wire frame. I may further secure at 29 upon said bars a strong sheet of paper or thin bottom 30, and to the rear end of such sheet I may joint a flap 31, which may be long enough to extend forward and cover all the cards. The latter construction of the flap will not only keep the tops of the cards folded down to an even plane, but will also prevent the end of a slide from catching the edges of the cards below it and will to that extent render it possible to dispense with most of the solid horizontal partitions between the slides, leaving only suitable ledges in the sides of the case for guiding of the slides; but as long as said partitions are used the flap 31 may extend only partly forward, so as to press some of the cards down, and thus give a tendency to all of them to lie down.

In Fig. 2 is shown a keeper or friction-piece 34, consisting of a piece of sheet metal or celluloid or other suitable material. It is provided with several apertures 36, with intervening margins 37, which the bar 17 is passed alternately over and under, so that the piece is held by frictional contact with the bar at any point required for holding the cards and foot-pieces thereof together in proper contact and position. 35 is a cord secured in the friction-piece or keeper and forming a bail which the operator takes hold of in moving the keeper. WVhile such bar 17 and keeper 34 are desirable in a high grade of this article or device, it is evident that in a cheap grade the keeper and even the bar 17 may be dispensed with, as by using reasonable care the cards may be kept in position and contact with the foot-pieces even if they are simply placed in position upon any suitable support or in a tray or drawer taking the place of what I have termed a slide or sliding frame.

As for the many ways in which the card or leaf 23 and the foot-piece may be formed I have shown some of them. Thus in Fig. 10 the card and the foot-piece are formed of one single piece of heavy paper by pasting a fold on it which forms the projection 25. Fig. 11 is formed in the same manner, only that the fold is used for the front part 26.

In Fig. 12 the card is pasted to an up wardly-projecting edge 32 of the foot-piece, which also in this case is formed with a pasted fold. In Fig. 13 the foot-piece and the card are made of suitable paper and jointed together by a strip of canvas 33, pasted to both of them. In Fig. 14 the card and the rear projection 25 are made integral, and the front projection 26 consists of a number of tongues cut out in the card before the latter is creased, so as to form a joint at its connecting-line with the part 25. Fig. 15 is the same as Fig. 14 excepting that 26 is a single broad tongueinstead of several tongues. In Figs. 16 and 17 the foot-piece may be formed in either of the manners just described, the modified receptacle or holder for documents being the object illustrated.

Many other modifications and variations may be made without diverging from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

1. In a device of the class described, a card or leaf having to one edge permanently secured by a flexible joint a footpiece projecting beyond both sides of the leaf, so that the card may be folded down for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device of the class described, a series of cards or leaves, each having to one edge permanently secured by a flexible joint a foot-piece projecting beyond both sides of the leaf and being adapted to keep the leaves apart when standing and cause them to project from under each other when folded down, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a device of the class described, a series of normally overlapping strips or footpieces, a card or leaf foldably secured upon each foot-piece and a bar inserted through the cards close by the folding-line.

4. In a device of the class described, a series of normally overlapping strips or footpieces, a card or leaf foldably secured upon each foot-piece, and a barinserted through the cards or leaves near their joining-line with the foot-piece, and a suitable frame to which the ends of the bar are detachably secured.

5. In adeviee of the class described, the combination with a series of normally overlapping strips or foot-pieces, of a card or leaf foldably secured with one edge upon each of the foot-pieces, a bar inserted through the cards near their folding-line, a frame to which the ends of the bar are detachably secured, and a friction-held keeper upon the bar for keeping the cards and foot-pieces in the normal position.

6. In adevice of the class described, the combination with a springy or yielding frame serving as a drawer, of a hook in opposite ends of the frame, a series of recording cards or leaves upon the frame, a fiat bar penetrating the cards or leaves and having near both ends apertures adapted to go upon said hooks when the frame is slightly compressed.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a springy frame serving as a drawer, of a hook in two opposite sides or ends of the frame, a series of recording cards or leaves upon the frame, a fiat bar penetrating the cards or leaves and having near both ends apertures adapted to go upon said hooks when the frame is slightly compressed; said bar having at one end side arms serving as finger-holds in handling the bar and in compressing the frame by pulling on the bar after its other end has been secured.

8. In a device of the class described.a springy frame consisting mainly of an open yoke formed of a front and rear bar and two side bars, and a detachable central bar extending across the space in the yoke, said central bar having one end pointed for the insertion through cards or leaves to be filed on the bar, and the other end provided with a handheld, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a device of the class described, aframe serving as a drawer or keeper of documents and records, the same consisting mainly of a yoke-shaped open frame and a central filingbar detachably secured to two opposite bars of the yoke; and intermediate bars permanently fixed to the frame in parallel direction with the detachable bar, said central bar having one end pointed for the insertion through cards or leaves to be filed on the bar, and the other end provided with a handhold, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a device of the kind described, ayokeshaped frame serving as the file-drawer for records and documents, the same having a substantially central filing-bar detachabl y secured to the frame and traversing the space in the frame, and fixed bars extending parallel to the detachable bar, and a sheet or thin bottom secured to the fixed bars.

11. In a device of the class described, a yokeshaped frame serving as a file-drawer for records and documents, a substantially central pointed filing-bar detachably secured to the frame, and a thin sheet permanently secured in the open space of the yoke, to form a guide and support for the papers filed on the bar.

12. In adevice of the class described, ayokeshaped frame serving as a file-drawer for records and documents, a substantially central pointed filing-bar detachably secured to the frame, and a thin sheet permanently secured in the open space of the yoke, to form a support and guide for the papers filed on the bar, said guiding-sheet having the end nearest the point of the filing-bar extended so as to form a covering upon the filed documents, to prevent their catching against any part of the adjacent drawer or of the cabinet in which the drawers are filed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination with a series of overlapping footpieces, of folding leaves jointed one on the top of each foot-piece and involving a receptacle for filing documents in, and an indexed portion visible when the leaves are folded down upon each other.

14. In a device of the class described,the combination with a file drawer, frame or slide, of a handle secured to the front end of same and having side arms, and an index-tag securable on said side arms by being made like a tube or sleeve fitting snugly upon the side arms.

15. In a device of the class described, the drawer, tray or slide made of a single wire bent into a rectangular elongated yoke and having its ends formed one into a handle and the other into a hook helping to hold the filing-bar upon which the leaves or cards of records are filed; and a wooden strip fitted upon the front bar of the frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERIK M. LUNDHOLM WVitnesses:

ERNEST (Jr. STERNER, K. F. LUNDHOLM. 

